Where pie is king, a contest to decide the ruler

Pinecraft Pie Contest in Sarasota's Amish and Mennonite community is a friendly affair designed to build cohesiveness

By CARRIE SEIDMAN

Think of Pinecraft, Sarasota's Amish and Mennonite community, and what's the first thing that comes to mind?

No, not tricycles, suspenders or linen bonnets.

Pie.

“Pie and this community just go together,” says Kjell Purnell, managing director of Everence (formerly Mennonite Mutual Aid), a credit union and ministry that caters to Mennonite communities across the country. “It's just a natural fit.”

That was the catalyst for last year's inaugural Pinecraft Pie Contest, an open-to-the public event hosted by Everence, a company looking to build community cohesiveness — one bite at a time.

“Anyone is welcome to enter,” says Lee Miller, Everence's church relations representative, “as long as they don't go to Yoder's and buy one.”

This is a community that takes its pie seriously, which calls for a stringently adjudicated process. Panelists rate each pie from 1 to 10 based on presentation, taste/flavor and general impressions. They must also complete this sentence: “I remember this pie because . . .”

That last was in response to Claire Miller's unusual mulberry pie, which took home the honors in the fruit category. Not surprisingly, the distinctive ingredient remained a mystery.

“They don't tell,” says Sherry Gore, a cookbook author and 14-year Pinecraft resident who says she is “all about pie.” Gore has been prepping all week for her return stint as one of five judges. (Last year's panel included the late legendary baker, Amanda Yoder.)

“Being a pie judge is not as easy as it sounds,” says Gore, who says she has pie for dessert a minimum of four nights a week. “I've been eating lettuce and water all week to get ready.”

Last year's contest drew 21 entries and 42 homemade pies (each contestant must submit one pie for judging and a similar one for eating) in three categories — fruit, cream and one-crust — and dozens of hungry pie-lovers. More cooks and tasters are expected this year.

Though she will show up empty-handed as well as with an empty stomach, Gore has become quite a pie baker herself. She learned from one of Pinecraft's best: Fannie Yoder (no relation to Amanda), who was for 20 years the owner of Fannie's Country Cooking outside Tulsa, Okla. Yoder was a contestant (though not a winner) in all three categories last year and Gore says the best pie she ever tasted was one Yoder once served her that brought tears to her eyes.

A tight-lipped Yoder agrees to revealing two trade secrets: “Always use Crisco, that's No. 1. No store brands. And use an oven thermometer. Even 25 degrees can make a difference.”

Outside of that, you're on your own. It doesn't hurt to be Amish.

“A lot of it is experience,” says Yoder, who planned to spend “oh, maybe an hour” making her entries Friday morning and had no idea just what they would be 12 hours before showtime. After years of cutting shortening into flour with her hands, she adds: “I do it all by feel.”

As for winning, that's not so much the point; Purnell says the idea is just to bring the community members closer together, part of his company's mission.

In fact, a contest of any kind — much less one that focuses on a skill women of this community are renowned for — is very unusual among Mennonites. While everyone hopes their pie is well-liked, Gore says modesty, an ingrained community value, dictates a deferral of any acclaim.